Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-12-24
OUR CHRIsTMAs TREE.


for tomorrow is Christmas, and you will
want to be up early. l think Santa Claus
will come soon after breakfast and bring
or send 4 tree full Of nice things Run of
to bed now"
So with merry goodnight three
little boys who lived in the country went
up to bed, their minds full of Christmas
trees, Santa Claus, presents, and "lots OF
candy"
All at once mamma heard little voice
call out, Say, boys, let's have pillow
fight. Santa Claus wouldn't think that
was naughty, would hep"
Yes, indeed, he would" called up
mamma. $50 right to bed quick and be
good boys"
So in few moments all was still in
their room, each boy sound asleep in Il
neat little bed of his own.
The next morning they were up early,
and it seemed long time to wait till after
breakfast for Santa Claus to come Every
now and then little boy would creep up
to the parlor door flor they saw mamma
go in and heard her lock the door, and
call out, Mamma, | want to come in"
She called back, "Not now, dear"
What are you doing, mamma p
"Pm sitting in a rocking-chair by the
fire."
81 shouldn't think you could see to do
anything with all the window-shades
down."
GLOW do you know the shades are
DOWN."
'Cause We went round and looked We
didn't peek in, cause we couldn't"
nTlo,o =,
little voice.
II saw her in the kitchen awhile ago"
answers mamma.
So off the boys ran to hunt up aunty,
and all was still for few moments, when
little hands again tried the door, and
finding it still locked, one of the boys
called out:
"Aunty isn't in the kitchen, but the
fried chicken for breakfast smells awful
good"
Mamma took the hint and said Well,
| dear, you can tell Chin to put the break
fast on the table, and will soon be there"
After breakfast everybody went to the
parlor. The door was still locked, but all
at once it opened, and such 4 Pretty sight
as the room was All the pictures were
trimmed with Christmas greens and all
around the doors and windows, giving the
room such sweet, woody" smell. But
the most beautiful of all was tall Christ
mas tree standing in the middle of the
room and hanging full of all sorts of things.
The windowshades were still down, so the
many candles on the tree gave it a very
bright appearance and threw a soft light
all over the room.
The children exclaimed: ooh isn't it
pretty Is there snow on it, and what is
it shines so &" (Flour had been busted
over the tree, then diamond powder :"
lightly shaken on, so it really looked like
snow sparkling i'll the candle-light)
The boys were clapping their hands with
delight, when all at once they heard some
one outside call, Merry Christmas to all ~
Then came very loud knock on the door.
One of the boys ran to open it, and there
stood-who do YOU think? Why, Just
Santa Claus!
They invited him in, you may be sure,
and wanted to know how he knew the way
to their house.
Il always know where good boys live"
he said. He wasn't very tall, but was so
fat he could hardly get in the door, had
long gray hair-that is longer than most
men wear their hair-and full gray
beard. His eyebrows were very black and
his cheeks and nose very red. He had on
long overcoat and big top boots He
laughed when the boys stared at him and
was very jolly.
is all the family here? Shall | take
the presents from the tree now !? he said.
eyes p Yesr' shouted the boys; then
they looked around to see if everybody in
the house was in the room, and soon said:
" No aunty isn't here"
"Well, go call her in Just a minute"
said Santa Claus.
In few moments they came back, hold
ing a card, and said; "Her door is locked,
and We found this card pinned on the door.
What is on it, mammal"
She took the card and read:
" If Santa Claus comes, tell him / am
very sorry not to see him, but have bad
cold, and no one must disturb me. | will
try to join you at dinner"
The boys felt sorry not to have auntv
see the fun, for they loved her very much,
but Santa Claus began to take off the gifts
and they were so busy looking at theirs
that they soon forgot whether aunty was
there or not. They had all sorts of things
them ALL
1t didn't take them long to find a way
to open the funny little bags Santa Claus
handed them, and much to their delight
found them full of "sweets." Everybody
had an egg; some were yellow, some red,
some blue.
''What are they for ?" called the boys.
Santa Claus took one and found little
hole on one end, covered with blue paper.
He said there must be something inside,
so stuck his finger in and broke the paper
then he shook the egg and out dropped a
piece of paper. He opened it and found a
proverb on it. Every one looked at theirs,
and sure enough there was proverb on
each one.
Well, by this time the tree was nearly
bare of pretty things. To be sure the
strings of peanuts and popcorn were still
on, and lots Of little gilt things, but Santa
Claus said he could not stop to take those
off. "The room is too warm for me with
this overcoat on" said he.
''Take it off, an5 stay TO dinner with u.s."
said papa.
NO, thank you," he replied. 81 only
stay in a house long enough to take the
things off the tree. You know there are
so many little boys and girls for me to
make happy to-day, but I'm very hungry.
Have You had your breakfast, boys?'
Yes, Santa Claus; but if you are hun
grv, we can get you something to eat.
There are some tarts in the pantry that are
awful good"
"All right" said Santa Claus, "I'm very
fond of tarts. Run quick and get me
some; !" so off the boys ran as fast as they
could scamper and called to Chin to give
them some tarts for Santa Claus.
He gave them each one and back they
ran TO the parlor, calling, Here, Santa
Claus, here are the tarts for you," but
much to their disappointment, no Santa
Claus was to be seen.
"Where has he gomez" cried the boys.